Sweet Nightmare
by Caitie Manda
Summary: 19-year-old Kagome has a terrible secret, and when 19-year-old Inuyasha bumps into her in  a grocery store by a leap of fate, will he discover what it is?
1. Chapter 1: A Leap of Fate

Higurashi Kagome stood in line with her groceries in hand. She was nineteen, just out of high school. Her dark brown eyes kept darting about nervously. Finally, it was her turn to get her things paid for and bagged up. She picked up the bags off the counter after she swiped her debit card in the slot. Her tiny white, thin receipt printed out, and the cashier ripped it off carefully and slipped it into one of Kagome's bags. "Have a nice day!" The cashier, a young teenage girl with her black hair pulled into a long ponytail, chirped. Her deep blue eyes shone with happiness. They contrasted with Kagome's, whose dark brown orbs reflected nothing but cold, empty sorrow and anguish.

Kagome nodded sharply as a reply, and hurried off, looking at the ground. She shuffled away quickly, and her hastiness caused her to crash into another person. Kagome fell to the floor, and her bags ad purse fell out of her arms. Cans and other miscellaneous groceries were strewn across the floor. She looked up, anger and frustration clouding her face, and her eyes were greeted with a pair of golden ones. "Watch where you're going!" Kagome huffed, scuttling about, trying to gather all her things.

"Watch where _I'm _going? It was your fault that you didn't look up!" The teenager replied. He had long silver hair, dog ears, and was wearing a red T-shirt and jeans. He looked about Kagome's age. Kagome shot him a glare. "Let me help you." The boy offered.

"Fine." Kagome rolled her eyes. "What's your name?"

"Inuyasha." He answered. Kagome nodded, still fuming, and reached for the last item. She stuffed it into a bag and stood up.

"What's your name?" Inuyasha inquired, standing up as well. Kagome, not responding looked at a silver wristwatch on her right wrist.

"I have to go." She said, all the anger gone from her voice, only to be replaced by fear.

"Where-?" Inuyasha was cut off in mid-sentence, because the strange teenager fled from the store. He looked on the floor and saw a small white rectangular piece of plastic. He bent over and picked it up. He flipped it over. It was the girl's driver's license. "Wait, you left this!" Inuyasha cried, running out of the store and waving it in the air. He was too late. The girl was gone.

He looked at the driver's license. It had a picture of the girl, smiling and laughing, with dark brown eyes that shone like two pieces of pure sunshine. She looked completely different now. Her brown eyes didn't have even the tiniest hint of laughter in them anymore. They looked icy and unfeeling. Scared, even. Her name was printed neatly across the plastic. KAGOME HIGURASHI. She was nineteen, the same age as him. He looked at her address. "I'll bring this back, Kagome." He said under his breath, tucking the driver's license into his pocket and skimming the road and sidewalk, checking for even a glimpse of the girl. It was like she disappeared into thin air.

* * *

Kagome stood in the kitchen in the small apartment, unpacking the bags and putting away groceries. "Where have you been?" a familiar voice demanded. Kagome's blood went cold, and she cringed in fear. She stood with her back to the man.

"I-I was shopping, r-remember?" She replied, gulping down her terror.

"You delayed your arrival." The man stated in a deadly tone. "What were you doing?"

"I wasn't doing anything, N-Naraku, I swear!" Kagome cried.

"You lie!" He roared, reaching out and grabbing Kagome by the hair. He pulled her close to him. "Where were you?" he hissed in her ear.

"I was at the grocery store!" Kagome repeated, hot tears running down her cheeks, "I bumped into someone and had to pick my groceries back up!"

"Do not ever lie to me again." Naraku threatened her darkly.

"O-okay." Kagome whispered. Naraku threw her across the room and she slammed her back against the wall. She slid down into a corner, sobbing. Naraku walked over and kicked her in the side. Kagome fell over and clutched her aching side. He reached down and grabbed her feet. "No, please!" Kagome screamed. "Please, please!" She thrashed her arms and legs about wildly. Naraku ignored her pleas and dragged her into the back room. Her screams filled the apartment for three hours. Kagome looked up at Naraku with a bloody nose and terror across her face.

"Goodnight." He hissed venomously. He reared his fist back, and it came forward with a loud thud as it met her face. Kagome blacked out instantly upon impact.


	2. Chapter 2: Search for Kagome

Inuyasha drove up to the two story, white house. He checked Kagome's driver's license again to double check that he was at the correct address. Yes, this was the right house. He got out of his car and walked up the driveway to the front door and rang the doorbell. A woman wearing a long pink apron, with shoulder-length black curly hair appeared at the door. _"This must be her mom." _Inuyasha thought. "Um, are you Mrs. Higurashi?"

"Yes, I am she. Why do you ask?" Mrs. Higurashi questioned.

"Well, I bumped into your daughter, Kagome, yesterday at the store and she dropped her driver's license. I was curious to know if she was home so I could return it." Inuyasha explained.

"Kagome? She moved out a year ago, after she graduated high school. I haven't heard from her after all this time. I think she said something about moving in with her boyfriend…what was his name? Oh yes, I remember now. His name is Naraku." Mrs. Higurashi said with a pained look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Higurashi. This must be hard for you." Inuyasha said, sympathy in his voice. "Do you know where she lives now?"

"In an apartment somewhere in Tokyo. I'm not quite sure…" Mrs. Higurashi trailed off, as if she was racking her brain to remember. "I think I visited her once…it was a small apartment…in the northern part of Tokyo…about five or six miles from here. Hold on a moment and I'll give you the address." She disappeared from the doorway for a moment to retrieve a piece of paper and a pen. She scribbled it down neatly and handed the paper to Inuyasha. "If you do run into my baby, please tell her that we miss her and love her, and that if she needs somewhere to go that she can always come here."

"I will, Mrs. Higurashi." Inuyasha promised, putting the scrap of paper into his pocket.

"Thank you." Kagome's mother said softly, wiping her eyes. Inuyasha went back to his car, and as he drove away watched the front door close.

"Well, I'm closer now to finding you, Kagome. Boy, you sure are hard to get, eh?" Inuyasha chuckled.

* * *

Kagome examined her black eye in the bathroom mirror. Her entire left eye was surrounded by the purple bruise. It was extremely tender to the touch. She got a tissue and cleaned the remnants of blood stains underneath her nose. She got lucky. He didn't break anything this time. She got lucky, but was she really? She didn't feel all that lucky. Kagome pulled her long sleeve shirt off and examined herself with only a bra on her top half. There were bruises all along her arms in the perfect shape of fingers and other things he'd use to beat her with. Kagome hated her boyfriend. She wanted to leave. Yet she could not.

He had told her that if she tried to escape that he'd hunt her down. Kagome hated it here. She was constantly beaten and abused, and she couldn't tell a soul about it. Kagome knew what he'd do if she told. She was afraid of what he'd do if she spilled her secret. He told her she couldn't talk to or see her family anymore. She wasn't allowed to have any friends. She wasn't allowed to leave the apartment unless he gave her permission.

One day, Kagome had vowed, she'd run away somewhere where he'd never find her. Kagome longed for freedom. When they first got together in high school, he was one of the most popular guys in school because he was nice to everyone. That drew her in. He just played the part. She dated him for half of her senior year, back when he was fake. Back when he wasn't real. Back when she thought she loved him. Love. What a twisted feeling it was. It tricked her into playing right into his hands. Now she was bound here by fear. All because of _love_.

Kagome slipped her shirt back on. She didn't want to take another look at the aftermath of this beating. It was one o'clock pm on Monday. Naraku was gone until six o'clock. She wondered what that Inuyasha boy was doing now. He was cute. He was probably enjoying his freedom. The freedom that had been taken from Kagome. Freedom. She'd do anything for it. Anything.

She shook her head and stepped out of the room. She settled down into a couch cushion. Her whole body hurt. She ached inside and out. She looked out the window and saw a bird perched on a building. It stretched its grey wings and took off into the air. It was flying away. Far, far away from here. One day, Kagome would do the same. She hoped that day was soon.


	3. Chapter 3: New Doors Open

Inuyasha pulled out the slip of paper Kagome's mom had given him for the first time while waiting for the red light to turn green. In her neat handwriting, the only thing printed on it was the name of the street and apartment building. "I'll have to go door-to-door to find her apartment…assuming she still lives with this Naraku guy…" Inuyasha sighed. "This could take all day!" He glanced up. The light was still red. He tucked the paper back into his pocket and put both eyes on the road. Finally, the light turned green. Inuyasha pushed his foot down on the pedal and the car started moving again.

* * *

Kagome held a bag of ice to her eye. Her right eye was focused on the circular clock hung on the faded gray wall. The wallpaper was peeling and torn, and along with the dingy carpet, it was stained and ugly. The tiles in the miniscule kitchen were cracked and washed out. The scummy apartment was filthy, and it wasn't because of Kagome. She had tried multiple times to scrub it clean, but it seemed almost like Naraku had tried to find the scummiest apartment in all of Tokyo. If so, he had succeeded. Kagome felt disgusting just sitting in the living room.

This apartment held the most horrible memories. Kagome could remember the first time she stepped onto the threshold of it. She stepped into the apartment and had said, _"Naraku, why did you choose this apartment?"_

_"I have my reasons." _Naraku had replied devilishly. Kagome hadn't understood what he meant then. But now, she definitely understood. Yes, quite clearly.

* * *

Inuyasha drove up to the apartment complex. It was two o'clock. He would have plenty of time. He parked his car and stepped out into the sunny afternoon air. A cool breeze played with his silvery bangs lightly. He walked up to the first apartment door, which was on the floor. The apartment complex had three stories, and had about twenty apartments on each floor. This process could take hours, or possibly even days. He reached out and knocked a few times.

A plump, stout, bald man appeared in the doorway. "What do you want?" He sneered.

"Is there a girl by the name of Kagome living here?" Inuyasha questioned.

"Nope. Never heard of any 'Kagome'. Why?" The man asked suspiciously.

"She…"

"She broke up with you and now you came to beg to get her back?" The man continued. "Well she doesn't live here, okay?"

"O-okay." Inuyasha said in surprise at his question. The door closed in his face. "Looks like it's off to the next apartment, then."

It was five fifty. Inuyasha had knocked on every door on the first and second floors, and now he had only had two more on the third floor. Inuyasha walked up to the door in front of him and prayed that this would be it. He reached out and knocked on the door.

* * *

Kagome heard a knock on the door. "Who's that?" Kagome wondered aloud. She laid her ice pack on the small table in the kitchen and made her way to the door. She opened the door, and was immediately greeted by a surprise. "Inuyasha?"

The silver-haired teen looked at Kagome with surprised amber eyes. "What happened to your eye?" he asked.

"Uh…well…" Kagome stuttered, "I tripped. Yep. Tripped. Fell right on my face." She lied.

"Oh…sorry to hear about that." Inuyasha said. "Well, listen, I found your-" Just then, Kagome's little alarm on her watch went off. It was six o'clock. Naraku would be home any minute.

"Uh, Inuyasha, could you come inside?" Kagome questioned quickly.

"Sure-" Kagome grabbed his shirt and pulled him inside. She shut the door swiftly. "What's going on?"

"Look, please don't ask any questions…" Kagome was searching desperately for an excuse for him when she heard a car door shut. She then heard Naraku's voice as he came up to the apartment. "Please, just hide!"

"Why? Kagome, what's going on?" Inuyasha asked again, anxiety clouding his eyes.

"Just please!" Kagome begged, starting to tear up. She could hear Naraku's keys jingling outside the door. Finally, Inuyasha gave in. Kagome rushed him to the closet and pushed him inside. "Don't come out until I give you the signal." She whispered.

"Okay." Inuyasha whispered back. Kagome shut the door just as Naraku's key unlocked the door. She ran over to the couch and jumped on it. She grabbed a magazine and pretended to have been reading it. Naraku's keys jingled once more outside the door as he put them away, and then the door opened.


	4. Chapter 4: Uncovered

Kagome woke up as soon as she felt the first rays of morning on her eyelids. It was ten o'clock. Naraku had been so exhausted from his day's activities that he had gone straight to bed. Now he was gone once again until six. Kagome rushed over to the closet and opened it to find a sleeping Inuyasha. "Inuyasha." She said, shaking him. He woke with a start.

"Can I come out now?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yeah." Kagome replied, extending him a hand to help him out. He gladly took it and stood up, stretching his stiff muscles. "Sorry…"

"Why'd you even do that, anyway?" Inuyasha questioned irritably.

"Well…because…just because, okay?" Kagome answered, getting annoyed.

"Whatever." Inuyasha scoffed. "Hey,"

"What is it?" Kagome asked.

"Here." Inuyasha said, sticking his hand into his pocket and feeling around. He pulled his hand back out and handed Kagome a tiny white square of plastic. She looked at it before turning it over with a questioning look on her face. "You dropped it when I bumped into you." Inuyasha explained. Kagome nodded and took it from his outstretched hand.

"Thank you." She said. For a tiny fraction of a second, Inuyasha thought that he could see a glimmer of thankfulness in her chocolaty brown eyes, but then she blinked quickly and it was gone. Her eyes were back to the cold, endless, unfeeling brown orbs that they had been.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said slowly.

"Yeah?" Kagome said, plopping down on the couch. She was wearing a gray long sleeved sleeping shirt and pants, so her skin on her arms and legs were concealed. Her secret was safe.

"How about I take you out for some fun today? You look like you need it." Inuyasha offered, walking over to the couch and sitting beside her on the dull, washed out cushions.

"I-I don't know…" Kagome said, fear of Naraku's rage flooding her mind, "I don't think I should…"

"Why not? C'mon, we'd only be out for a couple of hours." Inuyasha pleaded. He wanted to see that happy, laughing teenager that was in the picture on her license.

"I-I'm not sure that's such a good idea." Kagome said, still doubting the idea.

"C'mon. We'll only be gone for a few hours." Inuyasha coaxed. Kagome sighed and finally gave in.

"Promise you'll bring me back before six?" Kagome asked.

"Okay, whatever." Inuyasha agreed.

" 'Kay, I'll go get dressed." Kagome smiled. Inuyasha could see through it, though. Even though the smile was believable, her eyes were miserable brown orbs of anguish.

* * *

"So where to first?" Kagome asked, walking beside Inuyasha. She was wearing a navy blue long sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans.

"Where do you want to go?" Inuyasha replied, looking at Kagome.

"I dunno…" Kagome said.

"I think I've got an idea…" Inuyasha said with a mischievous grin.

Kagome stepped out of the theater with a small smile on her face. Inuyasha came out laughing, with a big cocky grin on his. "C'mon, that was a hilarious movie!" Inuyasha said between laughs.

"It was pretty funny." Kagome agreed quietly. Inuyasha's laughter died down quickly when he started to realize that Kagome wasn't laughing along.

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked.

"Nothing." Kagome said distractedly.

"It sure doesn't sound like nothing." Inuyasha growled.

"It really is…just…nothing." Kagome said through clenched teeth. Kagome checked her wristwatch. It was already five o'clock. They were exactly two hours away from Kagome's apartment. Kagome stopped walking and stood in disbelief. Inuyasha turned around and stopped.

"What is it, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome's head was bowed, her black bangs covering her face.

"It's…five o'clock…and…we're two hours…from my apartment…" Kagome hissed in a deadly tone.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Inuyasha said quietly. "Let's go back now then! We could make it."

"N-no…you d-don't understand…" Kagome said in a shaky voice. Inuyasha could sense how upset she was and tried to help.

"Listen, I live about thirty minutes from here, so let's just go to my house for tonight." Inuyasha suggested. Kagome was completely mute. She said nothing. Inuyasha decided to take her there anyway. He took her by the wrist and led her back to his car and drove to his house.

* * *

The car ride was silent. Inuyasha decided to break the silence. "Listen; is this about that boyfriend of yours, Naraku? I'm sure he won't mind if you're gone for one night."

They got inside Inuyasha's house and Kagome immediately asked where the bathroom was. Inuyasha took her gently by the wrist and led her to the bathroom. She walked in, then turned around and closed and locked the door. Inuyasha was about to turn around and walk away when he heard her faintly sobbing on the other side of the door. He knocked softly on the door. "Kagome?" He heard the door unlock and Kagome's face appeared in the doorway. Her face was tearstained and wet. Inuyasha gently wiped the tears away.

"Now can you tell me the truth?" Inuyasha asked quietly. Kagome began to cry harder and fell against Inuyasha's chest. Inuyasha held her forearms and pushed her forward, and when he did so, her sleeves rolled up a tiny bit. Inuyasha spotted the purplish marks on her wrists. "What…?" He rolled up her sleeves to her elbows and saw her that her arms were covered with bruises and cuts. "D-did he…" Kagome nodded and started crying again. "What all has he done to you?" Inuyasha questioned worriedly.

Kagome pulled her shirt over her head and was wearing only her white bra on her top half. Inuyasha looked with startled eyes at the giant bruises and whelps and scars that covered her stomach area and back. He pulled her close to him and allowed her to cry. He now understood. This Naraku character wouldn't let her out of the house…he didn't allow her to see her family…she was different because she was scared. She was terrified of him. Of Naraku. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

Inuyasha carried the girl to his room and laid her on his bed. He laid her head on a pillow and covered her up with the comforter. She only stared blankly at him while the tears continued to pour from her eyes. Inuyasha leaned down and kissed her forehead. He moved around to the other side of the bed and lay beside her. Kagome scooted closer to him, because when she was with him, he made her feel safe. Inuyasha was facing her, and her brown eyes met his amber ones.

Kagome huddled closer to him. Inuyasha put his arm around her. Kagome looked up at him. Her chest was resting against his now. She could feel his breathing and he could feel hers. She looked up at him and for the first time, her eyes weren't clouded with sorrow and emptiness and sadness. Instead, they were filled with peace. Kagome laid her head down on a pillow. Finally, the lights went out in the bedroom, and Kagome and Inuyasha were asleep.

* * *

Naraku entered the apartment at promptly six o'clock. "Kagome?" He said quietly. He checked the kitchen. He looked in the living room. He checked the bathroom, and lastly the back bedroom. She was gone. Naraku saw a pile of her pajamas laying on the floor. He leaned down and picked them up. He could still smell her perfume faintly. She hadn't been gone long. Naraku squeezed the clothes in his hand angrily. He was going to find her, and when he did, she would never run away again. Ever. If Naraku could do anything, he would make sure of that.


	5. Chapter 5: The End

Naraku's voice hissed in Kagome's ear. Her blood ran cold with terror. Then, he reached out and got a whip, and began lashing at Kagome with it. She fell over, and each time it touched her skin she screamed. He threw the whip aside and used his bare fists now. He punched her over and over again, so hard that he left a bruise in the perfect shape of his knuckles for each. She was beyond screaming. She wanted to die. Kagome's body started to shake back and forth. "Kagome, Kagome," Naraku kept repeating. He laughed evilly and venomously. Kagome began to cry. He kept repeating her name over and over again… "Kagome, Kagome…"

* * *

Kagome woke with a start, her heart racing and a fine sheen of sweat on her skin. Inuyasha jumped away from her. "Don't do that!" Inuyasha said irritably, straightening up.

"Do what?" Kagome asked, annoyance lacing into her voice.

"Jump up like that! You scared the hell out of me!" Inuyasha cried.

"I can't help that I had a nightmare. Sorry I was being such an inconvenience to you." Kagome snapped.

"Hey, no need to be gettin' all defensive here!" Inuyasha retorted. Kagome, giving up on the argument, got out from underneath the warm blankets and walked past the nineteen year old teenage boy. He turned and followed her down the hallway. "Where are you going?" He questioned.

"To the kitchen. I need to eat like any other normal human being, ya know." Kagome said sarcastically.

"You're hilarious." Inuyasha commented in an aggravated tone. Kagome said nothing. She walked in the direction that she hoped the kitchen was in. She was right. Inuyasha followed her into the kitchen and sat at the table.

Kagome opened the fridge door and pulled out the butter, the jug of milk, and the carton of eggs. She pulled out a skillet from a cabinet and started warming the stove. She got a slab of butter and slid it around in the pan, watching it melt as it slid across the warm metal pan. She cracked the eggs into a glass bowl and poured in the milk. She added a few spices and then trickled the substance into the skillet.

Using a plastic spatula, Kagome moved the eggs around in the pan, and before long the runny, raw eggs and milk became fluffy, warm yellow scrambled eggs. Kagome separated them onto two plates and sprinkled cheddar cheese over hers. She popped two pieces of toast into the toaster. Kagome then set the table and placed Inuyasha's eggs in front of him. He had devoured them before Kagome had finished filling her glass of orange juice. She turned around just in time to see him cleaning his plate.

Kagome chucked a little and joked, "Were you hungry?" He nodded vigorously. Kagome laughed and passed him the plate piled with about five pieces of golden-brown toast. He took two and buttered them. Next, he smeared strawberry jelly onto them and popped them one by one into his mouth. Kagome offered him a third. He took it and ate it. Kagome took the remaining two pieces of toast and piled about half of her eggs onto one and stacked the other on top to make a scrambled egg sandwich. She scraped the other half onto Inuyasha's plate. He ate those slowly so that he could talk.

"You're a great cook." Inuyasha said.

"It was just scrambled eggs and toast." Kagome pointed out.

"Well, they were very delicious." Inuyasha stated. He took the empty plates and cups and piled them into the sink. Kagome walked over and reached for the sponge. He lightly grabbed her wrist to stop her. Kagome looked up into his amber orbs. They locked eye contact for a moment. They both slowly were leaning forward, eyes closing…

"Wait," Kagome breathed, pulling away and jerking her wrist from his grasp. She turned her back to him. "I can't..."

"I'm sorry." Inuyasha apologized. Kagome nodded and was about to walk out of the kitchen when Inuyasha said, "Now, I believe we have a certain boyfriend of yours who needs to learn a little lesson."

* * *

Naraku sat in the apartment. He wouldn't be running his errands today. He would wait for her return. Kagome would wish she never set foot out of the apartment.

Naraku returned his attention back to the pistol in his hands and the bullets beside him. He picked up a golden bullet and loaded it into the gun, "One for her left leg." He put in another, "One for her right leg." Naraku added a third, "One for her left arm." A fourth, "One for her right arm…" he picked up another bullet and examined it in the light. "What should I use this one for? Her chest, or her head?" Naraku chuckled darkly and took a sixth bullet. "I'll just shoot both, then."

* * *

Kagome checked the time. It was four o'clock pm. She and Inuyasha planned to sneak into the apartment right before Naraku got home and spring a surprise attack on him. He would never suspect a thing. Inuyasha and Kagome stayed silent for the entire two hour drive.

Six o'clock was approaching now. Kagome ran up the metal stairs, Inuyasha just behind. She got her own set of keys out and unlocked the door.

* * *

Naraku heard Kagome's keys jingling outside the door. He was behind the couch. She wouldn't see him until it was too late.

* * *

The door opened. All was dead silent inside the apartment. Kagome, followed by Inuyasha, stepped quietly inside without making a sound. She turned around to lock the door. "Now, we just need to hide from Naraku before he gets home." Kagome said hurriedly to Inuyasha.

"Why would you need to hide," Naraku began, standing from behind the couch and holding the gun out of her line of vision, "when I'm right here?"

"Naraku!" Kagome whispered faintly. Her eyes were wide with shock and surprise. She couldn't utter a sound. Inuyasha broke the silence.

"I know what you've been doing to Kagome, and you'll regret it." He said in a deadly tone.

"What are you going to do? Beat me?" Naraku sneered. "Well I have already come up with something that neither of you would ever even think of." He raised the gun to eye level and pointed it to Kagome.

"N-Naraku, let's not be hasty." Kagome said cautiously, "You shouldn't do anything rash like this."

"C'mon, Kagome. This game that we have going, it gets old after a while. You know me, I love games. I especially love to win them." Naraku said darkly. Inuyasha saw his finger pull the trigger and pushed Kagome out of the way. The bullet went into the wall. The blast of the shot rang through the entire apartment. "Well played, but that was a lucky shot. I'm definitely getting one of those tonight."

Kagome stood up, pulling Inuyasha up with her. Naraku jumped out from behind the couch and stood on the couch cushions. He shot again. Inuyasha pushed her out of the way again. The bullet went into the floor. Naraku, fed up with this, walked over and pulled Inuyasha up by the front of his shirt. He punched him in the stomach and face multiple times and threw him into the kitchen counter. Inuyasha slid down to the floor and into a motionless lump. Naraku turned his attention back to Kagome.

She stood up in front of him. Kagome ran to the middle of the room, a distance away from Naraku. The corners of his lips curled into a twisted smile. "You can't win, Higurashi. This is my game." Inuyasha's ears twitched at this. He looked up with a bloody and bruised face to the scene before him. Naraku wasn't paying attention to him, and Kagome had her back to him. Inuyasha stood up, clutching his stomach painfully. Naraku aimed. He fired. Inuyasha ran and jumped in front of Kagome.

"NOO!" Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs. Inuyasha's body jerked as the bullet entered his belly area. He staggered backwards a little, but stood his ground. Naraku shot again. Inuyasha's body wrenched sideways as the bullet entered his shoulder. He fell to his knees. Inuyasha fell forward onto the floor. Blood began to stain the carpet.

Tears of fury filled Kagome's eyes as she watched his silvery hair become tainted with his own blood. She looked at Naraku with a look of such utter hate that Naraku staggered a bit under the intensity of the stare. Kagome flew at him and pounded him with all her strength. She slapped his face. She kicked his sides. She stomped on his hand and heard a satisfying crunch. Kagome stomped her foot down as hard as she could on the hand that held the gun and the gun slid underneath the couch from his hand. Sirens sounded outside the apartment. Policemen beat down the door.

Kagome ran up to the first one and hugged him, and explained everything that had happened to her, from the time that she had started getting beaten until now. It turned out that one of the neighbors called the cops as soon as they heard the first gunshot. Naraku was taken into custody and was arrested. He was to serve a full life sentence. He had lost his freedom now. Kagome got hers back.

Inuyasha was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. Kagome rode inside of the ambulance with him. She reached out and took his hand. She squeezed it tightly in her fingers. Inuyasha didn't close his hand around hers. His fingers lay limply between hers. His breathing was unsteady and light.

Kagome waited at least five hours while Inuyasha was in surgery getting the bullets removed before she was allowed to see him. She entered the room at last. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was stable. Kagome sat in a chair by his bedside. She took his hand and squeezed it gently this time. "You saved my life," Kagome whispered, tears falling down her cheeks, "now please let me save yours." She closed her eyes and started crying. She held his hand close to her cheek as she wept. She felt movement between her fingers.

Kagome looked at his fingers that were intertwined with hers. They gradually closed around Kagome's small, pale hand. "No," Inuyasha's voice said softly, "it was you…who saved…me…" His eyelids slowly fluttered open, revealing his amber eyes. Kagome began to laugh softly through her tears. "Can…can you now…?" Inuyasha asked quietly. Kagome thought about what he was talking about for a moment. She thought about how just that morning they almost kissed. She had said, 'I can't.'

"Yes." Kagome replied softly. She leaned forward and kissed him softly. Then, she laid her head gently on his chest to try to get some rest. His arm rested over her back and they fell asleep together.

* * *

**Afternote:**

fter dating for a year, Inuyasha proposed. Kagome said yes. They now have a small family of six, with them two, twin daughters at the age of six, and two boys, one at the age of two and the other at the age of four. Kagome is thankful for her hero, and Inuyasha is thankful for the driver's license that brought them together.

* * *

**Author's Note**

I hope you enjoyed Sweet Nightmare! Please, I BEG OF YOU, don't just read and move on. I would really love it if you would click that sweet little button that says "Review"! I want some feedback! I enjoy hearing from my readers very much. Did the ending please you? Were you surprised by how things turned out? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Review and tell me!

-Arigato! :3

Caitie Manda


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